NEA Expo in the San Diego Convention Centre
Over a hundred exhibitors participated in the NEA expo, attended by over 15,000 delegates from as far away as Georgia and New York. Highlights (for
delegates, anyway) were the steel water bottle giveaway by Target, which generated snaking lines all the way to the Starbucks outside the Exhibit Hall and the NEA Expo tote bags, whose line up I unintentionally stumbled into and emerged with a blue bag. I must confess that my very own Fiction Writer pens became a hot item with teachers, eager to take notes with their new green pen that sported the Pixl Alien logo of the Alien Guidebook series.During the three day drive from Vancouver to San Diego with friend, Margaret, we weathered 105 degree heat and Interstate 5 boredom through frequent Starbuck’s stops (for wireless, sustenance and to cool off), chowing down cool meals at Applebee’s (they are everywhere!) and bedding down at Motel 6s.
After a great sleep and breakfast in the hotel’s bistro, Toulouse and I wandered to the Convention Centre to attend the NEA Expo. Designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erikson, the San Diego Convention Centre was named one of the top ten convention centres in the world by
From angled rooflines to circular elevators, the theme of circle, tube and wave pervade the centre. Blue-green tinted glass and sea-colored carpets blend shape with color to celebrate the aesthetic power of the sea. Circles within triangles, triangles within circles in a symmetry of elegant geometric form. Rings of curving barrel-vaulted glass and Teflon-coated fiberglass “sails” reflect San Diego’s maritime history. Waterfront terraces overlook San Diego and provide expansive views of marinas and the bustling sea shore.
In an earlier post I talked about how our environment shaped how our minds worked, enhancing or detracting from
While Toulouse looked for mischievous things to do at the NEA Expo, I talked to a lot of teachers from all over the States, gave some free writing consultations in my "outside office" and gave away bazillions of promotional copies of The Fiction Writer. The San Diego Convention Centre is located in the heart of downtown SD at the foot of its Victorian-era Gaslamp district, which boasts over fifty restaurants, cafes,
We started with Lou & Mickey’s, a charming upscale beach style restaurant, located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and the tram/railway facing the Convention Centre. We gorged on French fried Calamari and romaine lettuce served with Roquefort dressing followed by a
The next eatery we chose was La Fiesta, an authentic Mexican restaurant and bistro that served the best Margaritas this side of Palm Springs according to one of the NEA teachers. I ordered the “Purple Haze”, an exotic marriage of Margaritaville Silver Tequila, Chambord raspberry liqueur, Cointreau, and sweet & sour. (BTW, she was right). Margaret selected the “Mexican Seafood Platter”, sizzling hot in its own lava dish (pictured here) while I ordered the “Carnitas Uruapan”, tender chunks of pork slowly cooked in Mexico’s traditional style served with flour
San Diego is home to a diversity of engaging attractions for the sightseer. My companions and I caught several of these, including the San Diego Zoo and the Coronado Hotel (where the 1959
I was eager to see the Salk Institute, a bio-medical research facility architecturally designed by Louis Kahn to encourage creativity among its members. Located in La Jolla, next to Scripps (and about 30 minutes from Downtown San Diego), the institute is a historic site worth seeing. Check out my next post on Jonas Salk’s vision and the significance of the institute’s architectural design.
Historic Hotels of America
The Sofia Hotel belongs to a group of heritage hotels established by the National Trust in 1989, which identifies
Photos:
1. The NEA Expo at the San Diego Convention Centre.
2. The Fiction Writer: Get Published, Write Now! showcased at the NEA Expo.
3. The back side of the convention centre, overlooking San Diego Bay.
4. Circular elevator servicing the front of the convention centre.
5. The Exhibit Hall beneath the sails
6. The vaulted “ceiling” of vines along an outside walkway of the convention centre.
Labels: architectural design, architecture, book tour, Historic Hotels of America, interior design, nina munteanu, road trip, San Diego, San Diego Convention Centre, The Fiction Writer, writing fiction
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